Choosing a Financial Advisor

Freedom of Choice

We value the freedom of choice in our country. And as an investor, you have more choices and options than ever before. Sheena Ivengar, the author of The Art of Choosing, said the average person has over 70 choices per day. Choices can be overwhelming but when it comes to your financial needs, it’s essential to make a meaningful choice due to the importance of your decision. Many investors are wise enough to recognize that they do not have the time, patience, knowledge or self discipline that is needed to manage their own money. But with over 630,000 financial advisors in the U.S., it is challenging to find an advisor suited to your needs, objectives and expected returns.

Understanding Who You Can TrustWhile the internet or referrals from friends may be a helpful start, you need to perform further due diligence by understanding key factors such as:

How do you judge performance history of one advisor vs. another?

How can a fee vs. commission based advisor make a difference?

Why can monthly sales targets be a potential detriment to your financial well-being?

How can you be misled by complex products?

How do you decide on the right type of financial manager (self-directed, full service, independent firms, financial planners and wealth managers)?

What qualities do you look for in a financial company?

How does an experienced and knowledgeable advisor make a difference?

How does an advisor consider market dynamics along with a client’s objectives and goals?

Ultimately, you want to find an advisor that you can trust to work in your best interest. At Saleeby & Associates, we thrive on helping our clients reach their dreams. Our objective is pure and simple… exceed customer expectations! Our clients deserve the very best and as such, we want to fully understand their goals, objectives, and dreams; consider their risk tolerance; and recommend a portfolio that considers their needs. There’s no hidden agenda… no sales quotas to influence our decisions, no complex product offerings to mislead you, and no surprise fees.

Making an Informed DecisionYour time is precious and there never seems to be enough hours in the day. But outside of one’s health and family, finances are one of our biggest concerns in life. Therefore, it is important to make an informed decision on who to trust with your financial future. We value your choice in finding a financial advisor and want to minimize the burden you may feel in figuring out the right path for you.Our goal is to minimize the frustration, time invested, and uncertainty that accompany such a decision. With our knowledge and experience in the industry, we can help you navigate through the sea of information to provide you with the essentials necessary to feel comfortable and confident with your decision.

Relying on Critical Industry ExpertiseFinding someone with extensive knowledge and expertise in the industry is essential. Many self directed investors let emotions dictate actions and tend to make dire mistakes by not knowing enough about their particular investments, financial industry, cycles, and economic and social impacts. In fact, Charles Schwab estimates 98% of the U.S. population is not trained in investing. He says there are about 320 million people in the U.S. and maybe 2% are reasonably sophisticated in investing. (source: Investor's Business Daily, June 4, 2014). A study by DALBAR (2009 Quantitative Analysis of Investor Behavior) showed the S&P produced an 8.35% annual return from 1988 through 2008. However, according to the same survey, the average equity investor realized an annual return of just 1.87% over the same period thanks to the adverse effects of market timing. That means an investment of $10,000 in 1988 would have grown to $49,725 over the past two decades if left untouched. However, individual investors who panicked at market bottoms and chased returns as markets rose would have only $14,485 today. With 36 years' experience, Ray Saleeby can reduce the emotion attached to investing and provide a solid understanding of how to navigate through the market with confidence.

Comparing Advisor PerformanceMany people believe their investments are doing great because they are “making money”. However, the biggest factor in determining the success of your investing strategy is by comparing the percentage of your returns to other advisors and key indexes. According to the Motley Fool, the Vanguard S&P 500 fund has outperformed over 90% of all domestic equity mutual funds over the past three and five years (and a much higher number if you include bond and international equity funds). There have been numerous other studies showing similar results. But many times, people look at their relationship with their advisor as one of friendship, (i.e. a golf buddy), without looking at their financial performance. Or, perhaps they are complacent with their investments until they realize retirement is near. However, most investors usually do not have many years in which they can accumulate a meaningful savings for retirement and maintain the lifestyle they desire. Therefore, a differential of 1-2% return on investment per year could be substantial due to compounding and make a world of difference in achieving their goals.

Unfortunately, many people are uninformed about their investments current and/or past performance. Perhaps they are too focused on working hard for their money, which leaves limited time to focus on how to get their money to work for them. While this might seem like a daunting task, Saleeby & Associates can help you understand your current and past performance, compare other indexes, and discuss potential opportunities. If you have been with an advisor for three or more years, you may be shocked to see the results!

The objective at Saleeby and Associates is simple: Outperform Benchmarks. We strive to help our clients achieve their financial goals as quickly as possible, at acceptable risk levels with minimal tax exposure. We appreciate our clients’ trust and are focused on our clients’ best interest. We are proud to share client referrals upon request.

Selecting an Advisor with ConfidenceWe know how difficult it can be to digest all this information and make an intelligent and confident decision about your financial future.

We hope that you can see the value added proposition that Saleeby & Associates offers to you and your family by keeping your best interest in mind. We appreciate your consideration in seeking our services and hope we’ve effectively demonstrated how distinctively different Saleeby & Associates operates compared to other financial firms. If you need further i﻿nformation or disclosures on any topic, or have any further questions or concerns we can help answer, you can contact us at (314) 997-7486. We look forward to discussing your financial future and remember:

Smart investors choose Saleeby & Associates – try us and know why!

Disclaimer: Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. The information on this website does not constitute an offer to buy or sell any securities. We are not registered in all states. Saleeby & Associates only transacts business in states where it is appropriately registered to do business. Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Cutter & Company, Inc., Member FINRA and SIPC, 15415 Clayton Road, Ballwin, MO 63011 (636) 537-8770.